Thursday, August 27, 2009

Hamilton Beach 40886 Stainless Steel Electric Cordless Kettle

Hamilton Beach 40886 Stainless Steel Electric Cordless Kettle

Price: $52.99
Manufacturer: Hamilton Beach
Buy from amazon.com

The Hamilton Beach Stainless Steel kettle is a beautiful and functional appliance for the kitchen. The 1500 watts brings water to a boil rapidly. The cordless feature allows you to take hot water to the table safely. The autoshutoff feature helps eliminate hazard.

Information

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #20999 in Kitchen & Housewares
  • Color: Stainless Steel
  • Brand: Hamilton Beach
  • Model: 40886.00
  • Released on: 2003-10-15
  • Number of items: 1
  • Dimensions: 7.00" h x 9.00" w x 10.00" l, 5.00 pounds
  • 1.7-liter kettle with powerful 1,500-watt heating element for rapid boiling
  • Cord-free kettle rotates 360 degrees, easily removes from base
  • Auto shutoff with boil-dry protection for safety
  • Drip-free spout; anti-scale mesh filter
  • Convenient water level window; 2-year warranty

Product Reviews

Amazon.com Review
This electric kettle heats up to 1.7 liters of water for coffee, tea, or instant soup without requiring the use of a stove. The round plastic base plugs into any standard outlet and gets water boiling in no time with its 1,500 watts of power. When water has boiled, a safety mechanism turns the unit off and prevents the kettle from boiling dry. For easy lifting and serving, the kettle rotates 360 degrees on the base and travels cord-free from counter to table for pouring. While the kettle's brushed stainless-steel exterior gets very hot during boiling, the plastic handle and knob on the removable lid safeguard against burns by staying cool. A drip-free spout keeps water from splashing and scalding and an anti-scale mesh filter traps lime and calcium particles (found in hard water) before they end up in a teacup. A clear water-level window conveniently shows how much water is left in the kettle. For long-term performance, the kettle's heating element is concealed, which keeps mineral deposits to a minimum and makes cleaning easier. Hamilton Beach warrants this product for two years from the date of purchase. --Cristina Vaamonde


Keep Looking, this one won't last.
I am surprised to see this model is still being sold. I bought this in Canada ealier this year, and it worked only a few months before the base switch stopped working. Because I was now in the states, its was a minor hassle to get a warranty replacement through Hamilton Beach, but one was obtained and cost me $8 in misc shipping costs. That one worked only a few months longer, then died the same way as its predecessor. Fool me twice, shame on me, huh? There seems to be a fundamental engineering flaw with the base switch on the model. Hamilton Beach should take it off the market and re-think the switch. I really wanted this kettle to work for me, loved everything else about it.

Terrible kettle
This kettle is no longer working after only 3 months of use. The auto-off takes far too long to switch off and the kettle leaks terribly. The kettle gets too hot. Stick to a good plastic electric kettle.

Good, but be careful ...
Be Careful Issue #1: the carafe is stainless steel. It has no insulation. It gets very, very hot.

Be Careful issue #2: the switch at the base of the carafe is vulnerable and flimsy-looking.

That's it. Everything else about this is terrific. The carafe is stainless steel inside and out, and the water level gauge uses a siphon so it's not in direct contact with the boiling water. And, even the lid is stainless steel. If you're concerned about plastic outgassing during heating, or just the plasticky taste, this is a great choice. Capacity is great too.

Now, as to Be Careful Issue #1, we had a smaller electric kettle with a plastic carafe. It got hot too! Maybe not as hot as this one, but it was certainly nothing we'd leave within reach of our kids. Furthermore, even if the outside of a hypothetical kettle carafe was cool to the touch, it would still be filled with boiling-hot water. So the heat issue is mostly a moot point. As to Be Careful Issue #2, the switch ... well, it may be a weak spot more from an industrial design standpoint than a practical one. We haven't snapped it off yet. But, we are pretty careful about being gentle when we press it down. Don't flick it around like a light switch and you'll probably be okay.


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